How Much Sugar Is Really In Soda?
Ask a pediatrician why childhood obesity is a problem, and they point one finger directly toward soda. It’s just one cause of many, but soft drinks are public enemy number one as far as legislators are concerned.
The CDC has been debating the efficacy of obesity taxes on them for quite some time. So how much sugar is really IN those soft drinks?
According to a brand-by-brand breakdown at the Boston Globe, the oft-quoted figure of 10.2 teaspoons of sugar for every 12 ounces of soda is actually a little high.
From the Globe’s counts of 12 ounce cans (and our own conversion of the numbers using this tool):
- Pepsi has 9.8 teaspoons (49 grams)
- Coca-Cola has 9.3 teaspoons (46.5 grams)
- 7-Up has 7.8 teaspoons (39 grams)
- Dr. Pepper has 9.5 teaspoons (47.5 grams)
- Mountain Dew has 11 teaspoons (55 grams)
Suddenly the Halloween candy doesn’t look like such a problem, does it? Soda is largely banned from my daughter’s diet - she drinks watered-down juice, milk and plain old water - with the occasional sip of something caffeine free.
Some parents say they prefer to give their kids diet soda to cut out the sugar - but the studies show that’s just as dangerous in terms of childhood obesity. A study in 2005 found a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day. It was a study that showed more correlation than causation - people switching to diet soda were often already on track to an unhealthy weight - but coupled with warnings of nutritional deficiencies caused when kids fill up on diet soda instead of something of nutritional value, parents would be wise to steer clear entirely.
Do your kids drink soda?
More by this author:
-
City Makes Kids Tear Down Treehouse
-
Booster Seats Find a New Backer - Science
-
The Disney Princes Get Their Sexy Back
Related Posts:- Industry Pushes for Chocolate Milk in Schools
- They Say: Fruit Juice as Bad as Soda
- They Say: The Corner Store is Making Kids Fat
- Sugar: Now a Nutritious Health Food
- Coca-Cola Buys into Family Physicians’ Good Graces
Tags: childhood obesity, Jeanne Sager, sugar, sugar in soda, sugary foods
10 Comments
[...] we’re mad that they’re getting money to possibly downplay the (very real) dangers of soda. But all along we’ve been accepting their opinions with Big Pharma feeding them cash? Because [...]
Coca-Cola Buys into Family Physicians’ Good Graces | Strollerderby commented on Nov 07 09 at 5:02 pm[...] According to the AP, some are even pushing for chocolate milk to be dropped entirely from the school lunch line up - along with sodas and other calorie-laden drinks. [...]
Industry Pushes for Chocolate Milk in Schools | Strollerderby commented on Nov 10 09 at 10:04 amPlumbLucky commented on Nov 03 09 at 10:54 amIsnt’ even in the house, though the little guy isn’t old enough for it to even be a thought (we’re still at the whole milk, breast milk, watered down 100% juice, water-phase). That’s more for us, the parents.
Marie Smith (http://wifeofhousehubby.blogspot.com) commented on Nov 03 09 at 11:51 amI’m a big diet soda drinker, but I don’t let my kids touch the soda except on special occasions. Their primary beverages are milk and water with the occasional juice mixed in. For me, I changed from regular soda to diet because my blood sugar went high. This one change took my blood sugar down to healthier levels, and has actually led to a 20 lb weight loss. I guess I don’t fit the correlation.
GP commented on Nov 03 09 at 12:57 pmWho on earth would let their kids drink diet soda with the rationale that its low in sugar? I don’t even drink soda. My husband drinks like one Coke a week. The stuff is garbage. The problem I have with it it that it has NO nutritional value. Cookies can be alright…oatmeal, some fiber, chocolate, some antioxidants…ice cream has calcium…these things can be “wholesome” and enjoyed in moderation. Not so for soda. Just garbage.
Lisa Cain commented on Nov 03 09 at 1:16 pmI totally agree with GP - soda lacks any nutritional value whatsoever and should be avoided.
http://www.snacksnoop.com
PlumbLucky commented on Nov 03 09 at 1:38 pmGP - as usual, to just about any common sense based question you ask: the answer is…my Bat-snit-crazy MIL.
brex commented on Nov 03 09 at 3:09 pmI discovered in my own baby book that my favorite foods at 18 months were fries and coke. I’m retroactively horrified.
Manjari commented on Nov 03 09 at 3:57 pmI drink diet soda every day. My kids are only allowed milk and water, but as they get older it’s becoming clear that I’m going to have to set a better example.
roy bean commented on Nov 03 09 at 11:01 pmIt not how much sugar is in the soft drinks…it how many soft drinks are in your diet.
